Staff Picks – Employee Spotlight
As a valued member on the Lewis & Clark Library team, Rachel Rivers works both in public service and as a programming assistant. She started working at the library as a high school student—picking up a job application on her sixteenth birthday and working as a shelver throughout her high school years and through her college years, too.
Rachel attended Carroll College and majored in History. It’s interesting to note that her fascination with history was sparked when she was in elementary school and saw a performance of Romeo and Juliet. She wanted to know more about Shakespeare and the time period in which he lived and wrote.
Rachel is a self-described “Anglophile,” meaning she has a love for British culture, its people and history. This interest also began when she was young and discovered that her great-grandmother was from England. She wanted to learn everything she could about her heritage.
Rachel’s interest in England grew and grew until it finally culminated in her first trip across the pond. As part of her studies at Carroll College, she was based in the town of Reading, England which is in the county of Berkshire, about a thirty-minute train ride from London. It was a grand experience for her and she recounts,
“I think one of my favorite memories was being at the Tower of London and seeing the monument to Anne Boleyn and others who were executed at the Tower and thinking, “These are the places I've only ever read and dreamed about!’”
Another highlight of her study abroad was seeing the simple grave marker in the floor of St. George's chapel that marked the final resting place of the infamous Henry VIII. “I just couldn't believe this monumental king had such a plain and out of the way resting place,” she says.
Along with Rachel’s love of “all things English,” she enjoys Shakespeare. One of her lifetime goals is to see every one of Shakespeare’s plays. As an avid fan of the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks program, she was very disappointed that their tour was canceled this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I will miss Shakespeare in the Parks terribly this summer. I was really looking forward to seeing Midsummer Night’s Dream again as it is one of my all-time favorites,” says Rachel. Although the best performance she ever saw was Richard III in 2016. “The weather was unbelievably perfect for the setting: thunder and lightning during the climactic battle scene; and then calm, clear and sunny when Henry VII takes the crown—I had goosebumps!”
Not only is Rachel an anglophile, she is most definitely a bibliophile, great at recommending staff picks, and finding treasures in the “New Books” troves. Read below about a few of her favorite books.
The Wars of the Roses: the fall of the Plantagenets and the rise of the Tudors
Dan Jones is an amazing historian who manages to tell the complicated history of England in a masterful story! Fans of Game of Thrones may enjoy the history it was based on!
Find it in the library catalog HERE
Absolutely amazing read! I read this book in one night. Based on the author’s family experience during WWII, this story is gripping from page one!
Find it in the library catalog HERE
Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V and Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
This was a fascinating book especially as a Tudor fanatic. Very rarely do you think of history in context with other history and this book does just that! It explores the relationships between four giants of the 16th century: Henry VIII, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain and Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire
Find it in the library catalog HERE
by M.T. Anderson, Candance Fleming, et al
A wonderful coworker who knows me well gave me this book and it was fabulous! Six authors came together and told the story of Henry VIII's marital history but from the wives’ perspective. Each author gave a different voice to each of the wives and they were all so wonderfully diverse! A good read for sure!
Find in the library catalog HERE
George, Nicholas and Wilhelm:
Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
A very intriguing aspect of WWI that is not often discussed. Moves at a brisk pace, skillfully written and tells a ripping good tale.
Find it in the library catalog HERE
Also available through Montana Library2Go Audiobook
An interesting combination of two well-known English classics.
Pride and Prejudice meets Frankenstein as Mary Bennet falls for the enigmatic Victor Frankenstein and befriends his monstrous Creature in this clever fusion of two popular classics.
Find it in the library catalog HERE
A beautiful novel that connects World War I and World War II through the very different lives of two women who ultimately share the same goal: revenge.
Find it in the library catalog HERE
